From North to South – Del Norte al Sur by René Colato Laínez & Joe Cepeda rom North to South is a very apropos story in the United States’ current discussion about immigration (particularly between the US and Mexico), even though it was written in 2010. I suggest, because of the subject matter, it would be […]

By Naomi Shihab Nye Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter itti’s Secrets is an older book that somehow just crossed my desk. I love it! Its contents are profound, heartwarming, and hopeful. The illustrations are lovely. It was published in 1997. Twenty years ago. Really? How could that be? This the story of a young girl who […]

Around the World from A to Z By Christine Cheung & Han Tran I Illlustrated by Tong Wu This is a different kind of alphabet book written by Montessorians with gorgeous illustrations and a preface on how to use Sandpaper Letters. On the left-hand page is a textured letter of the alphabet in cursive. On the […]

Aardvark to Zucchini: Phonetic Alphabet Book Written by Joan A. Hentschel Illustrated by Suzanne M. Peyer Having taught in a 3-6 Montessori classroom for 15 years, I found that teaching children to read can be done in many ways. There is no one right way for every child. There are lots of good ways that […]

common misperception is that exposure to multiple languages causes brain confusion and leads to delayed speech and literacy in young children. In reality, however, a bilingual environment fosters cognitive development and increases creativity, concentration, productivity, and problem-solving skills. As early as the womb, humans are able to distinguish between multiple languages and are able to […]

n many countries bilingualism is a steadily growing phenomenon that shapes and affects the learning process of children at homes and schools. The most popular second languages in Egypt are English, French, and German. Many parents prefer their children to be schooled in a foreign language rather than their native mother tongue. Being fully bilingual […]

ontessori continues to teach cursive handwriting, even in this digital age, and discussions about the best ways to integrate technology (or not) into Montessori are ongoing. The question of teaching cursive writing comes up a lot, from parents, other educators, and within the Montessori community itself. I thought I’d take a look at what Maria […]

omework is intended to support children and their development. This can sometimes mean familiar homework like regular practice on memory work, such as basic math tables. It should also mean expanding the creative and integrative work that the children do from the classroom to the wider world. In this sense ‘homework’ is any activity that […]

ips for right-handed parents with left-handed children…and left-handed parents with right-handed children…and for all of our children and all of our teachers! I often find that parents may need some kind of ‘manual’ to help them cope with a child whose dominant hand is the opposite of the rest of his/her family, and especially to […]

Function of words part 2 slides This week, Dr. Michael Dorer will present the second half of Functions of Words: Making Grammar Exciting and Fun! Is grammar a scary subject to you, or do you even find it useless? Join Michael in a two-part romp through the world of words and their functions in the […]

Download PDF of slides Grammar Webinar Part One This week, Dr. Michael Dorer presented the second half of Functions of Words: Making Grammar Exciting and Fun! Is grammar a scary subject to you, or do you even find it useless? Join Michael in a two-part romp through the world of words and their functions in […]

Possibly one of the most important goals we have as Montessorians is to aid in the expansive growth of the children’s vocabulary. From the beginnings in infancy, through the sensitive period for language, and up through the elementary years; words, nomenclature, expression, and the precise application of language are central to Montessori programs. Join […]